Inside Cabin Question

[ak1004]

Hello all,

 

I would like to get some feedback why most people prefer not to book inside cabins.

 

Personally I come to a cruise to see new places, to have a good food, meet new people etc. Sitting on cabin veranda is really the last thing I would do even if I had one. We always book inside cabin because we spend very little time in the cabin. Couple times we have been upgraded to a veranda, and found very little value having it.

 

This is especially true on Celebrity where inside cabins are decent size, have a seating area, and veranda cabins don't provide any additional space (besides the veranda itself).

 

Veranda typically costs around $1,000+ CAD more per person on 12-14 night cruises. I'm just having a very hard time to justify the cost. 

[davekathy]

The Balcony and ocean view staterooms we book have a seating areas like the inside staterooms. When we first started cruising we would book inside staterooms. Our personal preference now are balconies and ocean view staterooms depending on the price. We wouldn't hesitate to cruise in an inside stateroom again if the prices for ocean view or a balcony were crazy high for the itinerary we wanted. Compare an ocean view to an inside. 

Edited April 8, 2019 by davekathy

[FlorenceItaly]

We have booked many insides over the years.  Lately, I found I prefer a bit of light.  But, it all comes down to price point.  Last October we booked an inside on a 14 day cruise on the Summit after final payment at an excellent price.  Lucky for us, we received a Move Up offer and it was accepted at $110 per person.   This was for an ocean view cabin.  Like you, we have found we don't use our balcony much.  For an upcoming 11 night Summit cruise we started out in an inside and when the OV's fell in price, it made sense for us to upgrade.  We first upgraded no perks and then decided to add 2 perks.  We like having a drink package.  All our upcoming cruises are booked in an OV, but, we would not hesitate to book an inside.

[gerelmx]

I have booked Inside, Veranda & Concierge. It depends on the cruise we are doing. Why to book a veranda if the weather or the ship crew don't let you use it?, it's like money going to trash.  For Example the New England and Canada Cruise onboard the Summit past October, many days all outer decks were closed, like FlorenceItaly we also booked inside for this cruise with a lot of savings.

[Tourist1292]

It is mostly depending on the itinerary and time of the year. Not only we want a balcony for our cruise to Alaska, we want a large one. The inside passage is beautiful on both sides. Yes, you can have the same or better view on the deck but you would not want to stay outside for too long when it is a bit cold or rainy. While the balcony is covered and it is a very short trip to the cabin if you need to add a jacket or so. You also don't need to fight for a lounge chair. In addition, having breakfast in the balcony is a great idea too. The last time I checked, the inside cabin gave me much less option in perks. It would be a great idea to be used as additional space for my grown up kids as the cost is similar as the third and fourth pax in the same cabin but you will have extra space and a bath room.

[yorky]

Not sure about the US but booking in the UK you don’t get the drinks package with an inside, that offsets a good bit of the difference over a balcony cabin. We used to book insides and would again if the price is right but we use our balcony a lot. We always have breakfast on it, nothing like overlooking a Caribbean island. We are not fans of the buffet in the morning and think that’s how you pick up a ton of viruses with everyone using the utensils while a good few passengers refuse to use the antibacterial gel when entering the area. We sit on the balcony before heading out to dinner and sometimes when returning with a glass of wine. On top of that you get the light and fresh sea air. For us a cruise is more about the ship than the islands these days and a Balcony is a big part of that.( we always book an oversized slant cabin with the bigger balcony by the way 

[2Long2NxtCrz]

I finally talked hubby into an inside cabin for our family RCCL cruise May 2020.  The cost for two cabins (for us and the kids) was about the same as one balcony!  But, that's a rarity for him.  He can get seasick and the light and air offered by a balcony, plus the ability to see the horizon when in the room, really eases any symptoms he has.

 

Plus, we love having coffee in the morning on the balcony and watch the sunrise.  And there's nothing quite so relaxing as having a glass of wine and watching sailaway from port.  It's convenient, gives us a bit of a break before getting ready for dinner.

 

Itinerary does matter as others have said.  My parents had a balcony for Alaska while my brother and I shared an inside.  It got awfully cold while I was standing on deck taking photos of the glacier!  But I was bundled up and could deal with it.  For my elderly parents that would not have been the case.  We had a large slant balcony on our Med cruise.  And that was very port intensive with lots of activities in the evening, plus not the best weather  We didn't use our balcony as much as we normally do, but the rough seas meant that hubby enjoyed being able to get out of bed and go outside which helped him.

 

And lastly, it used to be that Insides didn't get access to the "free" perks.  They do now, so I suspect that the insides will get more traffic.

[ak1004]

29 minutes ago, Tourist1292 said:

It is mostly depending on the itinerary and time of the year. Not only we want a balcony for our cruise to Alaska, we want a large one. The inside passage is beautiful on both sides. Yes, you can have the same or better view on the deck but you would not want to stay outside for too long when it is a bit cold or rainy. While the balcony is covered and it is a very short trip to the cabin if you need to add a jacket or so. You also don't need to fight for a lounge chair. In addition, having breakfast in the balcony is a great idea too. The last time I checked, the inside cabin gave me much less option in perks. It would be a great idea to be used as additional space for my grown up kids as the cost is similar as the third and fourth pax in the same cabin but you will have extra space and a bath room.

 

Cruise to Alaska can definitely justify a veranda room as it is more about views. I was referring more to port intensive cruises to Europe where you are at ports most of the day most days.

 

Some people make an argument that they don't want to fight for pool chairs, but you can always book the Sanctuary (or was it on the other cruise line, I cannot remember?)

[FlorenceItaly]

I wanted to add, we did have a verandah(Neptune Suite Holland America) for our Alaska 2018 cruise.  I did start out by booking an inside but while in port(Cabo) on our Full Transit Panama Canal cruise I called our agent and asked her to put us in an aft balcony.  We ultimately ended up in the Neptune Suite.  While on the PC cruise we realized that SOMETIMES the cabin does matter.  On our PC cruise (Infinity 2017) we were in a Family Verandah corner aft(8166) and it  was fabulous.  It greatly enhanced our cruise.

[Tourist1292]

10 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Cruise to Alaska can definitely justify a veranda room as it is more about views. I was referring more to port intensive cruises to Europe where you are at ports most of the day most days.

 

Some people make an argument that they don't want to fight for pool chairs, but you can always book the Sanctuary (or was it on the other cruise line, I cannot remember?)

My first sentence as well as other's response said it clearly that it depends on itinerary and time of the year. You should state it clearly if you want to specify certain cruise.

[gold1953]

We often book inside . Usually less than 1/2 the price of a veranda. Drink packages have no value to us. That gives us 2 cruises for the price of one. Our favourite is Aqua Class. We just watch our price daily and if no deals we stay in our cozy cave

[rick160158]

Alaska would be a good choice for an inside cabin. It’s usually cold and rainy. Sitting out on a balcony would make things pretty uncomfortable under these conditions. Plus, when the sun sets, it sets for a very short period, then rises again, creating light in your room. So if you went to bed at midnight, light is coming through the curtains around 4am. That can mess with your head if you enjoy sleeping in the dark. I remember friends complaining of exactly that. 

[PTC DAWG]

There is a reason that ships have many more ocean view and balcony cabins available than insides.  I am one of those reasons.  

 

IF for nothing else, I like to see the sun come up, and get fresh air into the cabin.  Glad they offer something you like too.  

[Slugsta]

We often book inside cabins and are very happy to do so. We have had outsides and balconies on occasion but really didn't use the balcony as much as we had hoped (although we  have booked a balcony for our 24 night TA round-trip later this year, just to give us access to some daylight and fresh air over a longer trip). I get sea-sick and don't find that I need to see the horizon, lying down in the dark helps me most - and it is usually dark in an inside cabin! In addition, we both sleep better in the darker cabin, at night and for daytime naps.

 

For us it is a case of looking at the overall package, the cost of cabins vs the added perks and the benefit we get from those and also the itinerary/time of year to decide what works best for us.

[Silkroad]

7 hours ago, ak1004 said:

I would like to get some feedback why most people prefer not to book inside cabins

 

I am curious about why you are asking this question when you recently posted that you yourself book inside cabins on another cruise line? Since you don’t need information about sailing in inside cabins, why do you care what others do? Based on your posts on other threads, I was left with the impression that you disliked Celebrity, so why do you care about comparing Celebrity cabin classes? Is it your goal to waste everyone’s time? 

Edited April 8, 2019 by Silkroad

[ak1004]

25 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

 

I am curious about why you are asking this question when you recently posted that you yourself book inside cabins on another cruise line? Since you don’t need information about sailing in inside cabins, why do you care what others do? Based on your posts on other threads, I was left with the impression that you disliked Celebrity, so why do you care about comparing Celebrity cabin classes? Is it your goal to waste everyone’s time? 

 

People ask questions for different reasons, and you are under no obligation to read my posts or answer them.

 

I was simply trying to understand why people would waste thousands of dollars while people mostly use the veranda for sleeping. But obviously everyone is different, and people have different priorities. People also spend hours and thousands of dollars in the casino, while we prefer to listen to a good lecture, or participate in ballroom dancing class.

 

[Silkroad]

35 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

People ask questions for different reasons, and you are under no obligation to read my posts or answer them.

 

I was simply trying to understand why people would waste thousands of dollars while people mostly use the veranda for sleeping. But obviously everyone is different, and people have different priorities. People also spend hours and thousands of dollars in the casino, while we prefer to listen to a good lecture, or participate in ballroom dancing class.

 

You’re right. None of us are under the obligation to read anyone’s posts, or respond to them. However, I am suspicious of your motives for posting here, because you have previously expressed such disdain for Celebrity, and for those who choose to sail on Celebrity. In your response to me, you’ve made a negative statement about other people whose priorities differ from yours, with your phrase, “waste thousands of dollars”.  This is not the first thread on which you have done so. Why does it matter to you how other people spend their money? And why are you here, instead of your favorite cruise line’s forum?

 

Edited April 8, 2019 by Silkroad

[ak1004]

4 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

You’re right. None of us are under the obligation to read anyone’s posts, or respond to them. However, I am suspicious of your motives for posting here, because you have previously expressed such disdain for Celebrity, and for those who choose to sail on Celebrity. In your response to me, you’ve made a negative statement about other people whose priorities differ from yours, with your phrase, “waste thousands of dollars”.  This is not the first thread on which you have done so. Why does it matter to you how other people spend their money? And why are you here, instead of your favorite cruise line’s forum?

 

 

I never said I dislike Celebrity. Why would I book two cruises with them in June and September if I disliked them? I was dissatisfied with their pre cruise customer service, and described my reasons. Two different things.

 

What are your suspicions of my motives?

 

Yes, to me booking anything but the cheapest cabin is a waste of money. Same as gambling, drinking and smoking. Some people probably feel the same way about me when they hear that I'm flying business class. Everyone has different priorities and different idea of what smart spending is. Trying to understand people's motives and reasoning is what makes us smarter and helps us to make more educated decisions.

[son3cruisers]

I think this a good question. I too find that there are very posts / information on inside cabins or Oceanview , on this forum , compared to the higher priced cabins. No judgement, just a newbie to Celebrity looking for pictures or reviews of cabins that we would sail in. 

We are new to Celebrity, and will be cruising next year to the Southern Caribbean, on Summit. 

To answer your question, we were a family of five and when my children were younger, we would book 2 insides, or an inside and Oceanview. This was in our budget, and allowed us to book some amazing, sometimes expensive excursions ( again, for five of us). And allowed us to take them away, every year, during their March Break- a very expensive time to sail. My kids will remember those excursions much more then the size of our room if we had a private balcony ( they were never in the room) 

Now that it’s just the two of cruising, we are quite comfortable with the darkness and familiarity of the inside cabin. We book port intensive cruises, so we really are just in there to change / sleep. 

Also, we really enjoy meeting new people, and sitting on the open deck, as the cruise pulls away from a port, ( or pulling in for that matter) sharing stories with 

other cruisers about their day, is a favorite. I think if I paid for a balcony, I might “feel the need” to be out there “ getting our moneys worth” . Just a thought. We’ve never  sailed in one. I’m sure it would be wonderful. Just not worth the hit in our pocketbook. If we could cruise during a cheaper time frame, that might make a difference as well. My job only allows cruising on school break, so maybe when I retire! 

For our upcoming cruise, we booked Oceanview for the “perks”. We would have been happy with an inside, but drink package and onboard credit worked out to be a better deal. 

 

Edited April 8, 2019 by son3cruisers

[DanaDanes]

 I am a much earlier riser than my husband. I like having a place to sit, enjoy the view and read with a lot of coffee while I wait for him to wake. 

 

Also, I get a bit irrationally scared and claustrophobic in an inside. Silly as it is, I always think of those poor folks in steerage on the titanic! 

[ak1004]

25 minutes ago, son3cruisers said:

I think this a good question. I too find that there are very posts / information on inside cabins or Oceanview , on this forum , compared to the higher priced cabins. No judgement, just a newbie to Celebrity looking for pictures or reviews of cabins that we would sail in. 

We are new to Celebrity, and will be cruising next year to the Southern Caribbean, on Summit. 

To answer your question, we were a family of five and when my children were younger, we would book 2 insides, or an inside and Oceanview. This was in our budget, and allowed us to book some amazing, sometimes expensive excursions ( again, for five of us). And allowed us to take them away, every year, during their March Break- a very expensive time to sail. My kids will remember those excursions much more then the size of our room if we had a private balcony ( they were never in the room) 

Now that it’s just the two of cruising, we are quite comfortable with the darkness and familiarity of the inside cabin. We book port intensive cruises, so we really are just in there to change / sleep. 

Also, we really enjoy meeting new people, and sitting on the open deck, as the cruise pulls away from a port, ( or pulling in for that matter) sharing stories with 

other cruisers about their day, is a favorite. I think if I paid for a balcony, I might “feel the need” to be out there “ getting our moneys worth” . Just a thought. We’ve never  sailed in one. I’m sure it would be wonderful. Just not worth the hit in our pocketbook. If we could cruise during a cheaper time frame, that might make a difference as well. My job only allows cruising on school break, so maybe when I retire! 

For our upcoming cruise, we booked Oceanview for the “perks”. We would have been happy with an inside, but drink package and onboard credit worked out to be a better deal. 

 

 

We feel exactly the same way.

 

We were upgraded to a suite on our cruise on Princess last year. I will not lie and say it was not nice, especially because we sailed with our daughter. But the extra value for us came from the extra space, extra closet space, separate toilet, better service etc. Not from the veranda. And what we will remember from the cruise is mostly the amazing places we have seen, not the size of the room or the veranda which we used maybe 3-4 times.

 

Some people say that once you try a suite you can never go back. Well, we sailed twice after Princess, both times in the inside cabin, and I cannot say we really missed the suite. Personally, I will take an inside cabin on Oceania or Azamara over the biggest suite on Princess, Celebrity or HAL. But again, to each its own.

 

Obviously if you can have a veranda for a very small extra, and/or have some perks in the process, it might be worth it (for us). But most of the time this is not the case, especially if you book in advance. 

Edited April 8, 2019 by ak1004

[Marelaine]

Our first cruise was a balcony cabin on Solstice. We use the balcony quite a bit, spending hours a day enjoying the peace and quiet and the view. We leave our drapes open a bit at night so that the rising sun wakes us up naturally. I'd be fine with an ocean view cabin, but the balcony is important to my husband. 

[cruise kitty]

Ok, I'll bite (even though I'll probably regret it lol)  I've personally 'wasted' thousands of dollars on balconies & enjoyed sitting on my balcony while experiencing a sunrise sail in to Venice (once it got light enough I went to the upper decks)  the sail in to Kotor,  the sunrise sail in to Sydney, past the Opera House, sipping wine on the balcony in the middle of the Tasman Sea, watching the sun set at almost midnight,  sighting dolphins, whales, & on one lucky occasion a penguin who was slipping into the sea just as we were entering Milford sound.  Watching the port fade from view after a fantastic day ashore,  sailing along the Amalfi coast, in my bathrobe, sipping bad sparkling wine,  Istanbul (spectacular) too many memories to list here :)   

 

That's the longish answer.

 

The short answer is that we've worked very hard to be able to travel how we want to.  And we want a balcony.   To each his own.  

[OCruisers]

No one needs to justify their cabin choice.  

[ak1004]

39 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

No one needs to justify their cabin choice.  

 

Of course not. But sometimes understanding people's motives and reasons helps you to make better decisions.